Some people shouldn’t own or carry weapons

Published: Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 12:39 PM.

To the editor:

I agree with some of the statements Robert Ferris made in his letter on Nov. 1 headlined, “Gun-free zones open invitation to mayhem.”

Maybe if more people chose to carry a weapon, some of the senseless mayhem would be reduced. Maybe some of the bad people would think twice before doing whatever they were planning on doing because their target may be armed.

Not everyone should be armed. Some are unstable. Some have curious children that no matter the warnings will still have interest in the device you use to protect them. Some are naturally violent and act before thinking. We all know, live or work with someone like this.

Most Americans do have the right to purchase and carry a weapon if they choose. Some have given up that privilege because they chose the bad road.

Many of the events he mentioned were committed by individuals with no previous criminal record. The weapons used were legally purchased. Their actions were planned out. Their victims were unaware of what was about to happen.

The mother that was stabbed or the depressed father that decides to kill his family, they never saw it coming. Armed or not, how do you prepare for situations like this?

If more people were armed I could see many more stand-your-ground cases in the courts; you know, the ones where the person who was killed wasn’t armed but the supposed potential victim was in fear of his or her life. Many times there are no witnesses to either support or refute the claim.

I may buy a weapon one day if I feel I need the protection and security of having one. It should not be that difficult, as I do not have a criminal record.

I think people who apply for a permit to purchase should be required to list some character references. If it isn’t required it should be. There are some people who, no matter how their background checks out, I don’t think need to have a weapon.

I would love some more intelligent discussion on this. This is not a Second Amendment argument.

Billy James

Jacksonville

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I agree with some of the statements Robert Ferris made in his letter on Nov. 1 headlined, “Gun-free zones open invitation to mayhem.”

Maybe if more people chose to carry a weapon, some of the senseless mayhem would be reduced. Maybe some of the bad people would think twice before doing whatever they were planning on doing because their target may be armed.

Not everyone should be armed. Some are unstable. Some have curious children that no matter the warnings will still have interest in the device you use to protect them. Some are naturally violent and act before thinking. We all know, live or work with someone like this.

Most Americans do have the right to purchase and carry a weapon if they choose. Some have given up that privilege because they chose the bad road.

Many of the events he mentioned were committed by individuals with no previous criminal record. The weapons used were legally purchased. Their actions were planned out. Their victims were unaware of what was about to happen.

The mother that was stabbed or the depressed father that decides to kill his family, they never saw it coming. Armed or not, how do you prepare for situations like this?

If more people were armed I could see many more stand-your-ground cases in the courts; you know, the ones where the person who was killed wasn’t armed but the supposed potential victim was in fear of his or her life. Many times there are no witnesses to either support or refute the claim.

I may buy a weapon one day if I feel I need the protection and security of having one. It should not be that difficult, as I do not have a criminal record.

I think people who apply for a permit to purchase should be required to list some character references. If it isn’t required it should be. There are some people who, no matter how their background checks out, I don’t think need to have a weapon.

I would love some more intelligent discussion on this. This is not a Second Amendment argument.